1. Field
Example embodiments relate to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to nonvolatile memory devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor memory device is a memory device which is fabricated using semiconductors such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and the like. Semiconductor memory devices are classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices.
The volatile memory devices may lose stored contents at power-off. The volatile memory devices include a static RAM (SRAM), a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), and the like. The nonvolatile memory devices may retain stored contents even at power-off. The nonvolatile memory devices include a read only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), a flash memory device, a phase-change RAM (PRAM), a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a resistive RAM (RRAM), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), and the like. The flash memory device is roughly divided into a NOR type and a NAND type.
A NAND flash memory device includes a planer flash memory device and a three-dimensional flash memory device. The planar flash memory device includes single-layer transistors which are formed on a substrate. The three-dimensional flash memory device includes multi-layer transistors which are formed on a substrate. The three-dimensional flash memory device has a higher integration density as compared with the planer flash memory device.